Victim Of Stabbing Identified

DELAND — An 84-year-old retiree who repeatedly was stabbed to death early Friday morning was identified Saturday as Mary Bruno.

Bruno's identity had been withheld by police until her relatives were notified. She lived at 216 W. Haven Road, in the Sha-De-Land Mobile Home Park off U.S. Highway 17-92 in DeLand.

Jim Lauersdorf, who manages the park of 122 mobile homes where Bruno lived, said she was one of the few residents who stay in DeLand during the summer. About 85 percent of them travel north for the summer, he said.

Police believe the murderer thought Bruno's mobile home was unoccupied after burglarizing four vacant mobile homes earlier Friday morning or late Thursday night.

An autopsy was performed Saturday but results were not released. Police have said Bruno was repeatedly stabbed after struggling with her assailant.

Bruno's relatives from Kansas and Maryland are on their way to DeLand for the funeral, Lauersdorf said.